Title: After Video of Pumas Fans Confronting Players, We Review Some Mexican Football Threats

After a video was leaked showing members of La Rebel, one of the strongest Pumas fan groups, approaching the university facilities to confront their players and demand a better end to the tournament, strong and intimidating words were used, in an attempt to push their "idols" towards closing the tournament with a couple of victories.

In the wake of this new event in Mexico, not because it's the first to happen, but because it's the first one documented with video and audio, featuring the faces of players and the voices of the fan groups, we take a look at some tense moments in Mexican football.

Márquez Lugo faces threats from Sabah

After losing a game against Atlante, some members of La Reja, an unrecognized Chivas fan group, confronted Miguel Sabah for the way he played in the match. Rafael Márquez Lugo, Sabah's teammate, came to his aid and from that moment until he left the team, Sabah no longer had a good relationship with the fans.

"Before relegation, you'll know the cemetery"

When Chivas was going through a crisis of results that put them at risk of relegation against teams like Puebla or Leones Negros, a group of Chivas fans displayed intimidating signs against Jorge Vergara and the players. Insurgencia members carried some banners with the following messages:

"Patience is over", "Don't mess with history", "Before relegation, you'll know the cemetery", "Go away Vergara", "Leave or die". Afterwards, it was reported that the Chivas management filed a complaint for the threats and, for over a year, some fan groups were banned from the stadium.

"This people don't forget Omar"

When the Atlas board signed Omar Bravo to play for the team, the fans expressed their anger immediately. Banners were hung outside the club with messages like "If we get relegated, you go to the cemetery", "This people don't forget Omar Bravo". However, Omar won the fans' affection with his goals and one year later, he played his last game as the team captain against Tigres, receiving a standing ovation when leaving the pitch.

Sangre Azul, which could have ended in bloodshed

Violent incidents haven't stopped, this time involving Cruz Azul. After the team faced some difficulties to qualify, the fan group La Sangre Azul went after four players: Memo Allison, Fausto Pinto, Maza Rodríguez, and Jesús Corona. While some players are usually open to dialogue, it was not the case with `Chuy´ Corona, and things almost escalated into violence. Nowadays, whenever the league authorities talk to other fan groups, the threat is that if they could weaken El Pulga, they can do it to others as well.

Help for the trips

It is very common in Mexican football for some players, especially captains or foreign players, to contribute money before important or hard-to-reach away games, so that the fans can travel to support the team. These types of donations are common, although they are not considered extortion or harassment. However, those who don't contribute to certain fan groups may receive less support from the popular stands if things go wrong for the team.

Examples from Argentina

Pablo Álvarez, the famous 'Bebote', leader of Independiente de Avellaneda's fan group, is in prison after being accused of extorting $50,000 from Independiente's coach, Ariel Holan, so that their barrabrava could travel to Paraguay for a match in the Copa Sudamericana. In the end, the front line of El Rojo's barrabrava traveled to Paraguay, and now 'Bebote' is in jail, awaiting legal proceedings. Previously, Antonio Mohamed accused 'Bebote' of having complete control over the institution of Avellaneda.

GPE